I just got engaged, and I went on my first dress shopping outing with my sister and my mom last weekend. I was hoping it would be a fun bonding experience, but instead I felt criticized by both of them. I'm a plus-size bride, and both of them kept making comments about how dresses would fit once a lost a few pounds, how certain dress styles would look good after my wedding diet (…that I've never once said I was doing!), how this dress covered up my arms and looked better than that dress that didn't.
What was supposed to be a good day, turned into a day where I went home feeling like I'd been a victim of wedding body-shaming. How do other plus-size brides stay body positive in the face of constant criticism?
-Morgan
Ug, we're so sorry this happened to you! Sadly, this is a perennial topic for us, and you're in very good company. We've done posts about how to respond to pressure to lose weight for your wedding and the Fat Bride Survival Guide. Heck, we've got entire archives dedicated to body-image and plus-size brides… But body-shaming doesn't just happen to plus-size brides! Breasts are too small, butts are too flat, skin isn't clear enough, etc etc etc.
We'd love to hear from Offbeat Bride readers: have you experienced with bridal body-shaming? How did you deal with it? What did you say when people made critical comments about your body? Maybe if we all share our favorite responses, we can all use them!
Recent Comments
- Teresa: Hi. I feel you pain. I am a uk size 16 with an ample bossom and i was so terrified… [Link]
- Jenny: When my dad implied that I was going to the gym in order to lose weight for my wedding, I… [Link]
- Jenni: This is not stupid and petty. It is for sure an example of needless shaming; it's so hard when it… [Link]
- Kelly: Reading these comments, I'm glad I skipped the dress shopping experience and bought my dress online. In addition to… [Link]
- Lauren: For me, it was almost the opposite problem. I have serious body-image issues, and my best friends and fiance and… [Link]
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